A bipartisan parliamentarian group in support of Cyprus, active more than five years ago, is to be reinvigorated early next year when state parliament resumes, as concluded in a meeting between High Commissioner of Cyprus Yannis Iacovou and members of the South Australian parliament.
This was the outcome of an informative session that took place on 26 November. MPs Mrs Leesa Vlahos, Mr Martin-Hamilton Smith and Dr Susan Close, along with Hon. Terry Stephens MLC, Chair of Justice of Cyprus-SA Coordinating Committee Mr Peter Louca and President of the Cypriot Community of SA Mr Christos Ioannou were briefed by Mr Iakovou.
MP Leesa Vlahos and MLC Terry Stephens will be the co-conveners of the South Australian Parliamentary Friends of the Republic of Cyprus group, early next year when parliament resumes.
The aim of the formation is to raise awareness of the Cyprus problem and promote the need for a just settlement, leading to the reunification of the island; establish and enforce links, cultural and political exchange between the House of Representatives of Cyprus and the South Australian parliament.
As Mrs Vlahos commented, “many people in South Australia with Greek heritage or Greek Cypriot heritage are very passionate about this event and this issue” and she referred to the Turkish invasion as “a scar in many people’s hearts in Australia and Adelaide who are of that background”.